Integrated Adaptive Polyphase Electric Motor

Abstract

In some embodiments, a system may include an electrical motor including a cylindrical rotor including an inner circumferential magnetic array and an outer circumferential magnetic array spaced apart by an air gap. The electrical motor may further include a stator including a circumferential array of coils sized to fit within the air gap and a plurality of power electronic circuits. Each power electronic circuit of the plurality of power electronic circuits may independently control current to one or more coils of the circumferential array of coils.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system comprising:
 an electrical motor including:   a cylindrical rotor including an inner circumferential magnetic array and an outer circumferential magnetic array spaced apart by an air gap;   a stator including a circumferential array of coils sized to fit within the air gap; and   a plurality of power electronic circuits, each power electronic circuit of the plurality of power electronic circuits to independently control current to one or more coils of the circumferential array of coils.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a housing sized to secure the cylindrical rotor and the stator;   wherein at least one of the cylindrical rotor, the stator, or the housing are formed from composite material.   
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein each coil assembly of the circumferential array of coils comprises:
 a laminate core including cooling channels;   a winding about the laminate core; and   a separator structure to secure the laminate core and the winding, the separator structure including:
 oil cooling inputs and outputs; and 
 a plurality of channels to allow cooling oil flow around the winding and the laminate core and through the cooling channels. 
   
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein each power electronic circuit controls a set of coils of the circumferential array of coils asynchronously to manage cogging and torque variations. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein each power electronic circuit controls each coil of the set of coils independently of one another such that each coil has an independent time variant output driven by the power electronic circuit. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the stator includes at least a first number of electromagnetic poles; and   the rotor includes a second number of magnetic poles that is greater than the first number.   
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the stator and the plurality of power electronics circuits are immersed in oil. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a second electrical motor coupled to the electrical motor via a common shaft, the second electrical motor including:
 a second cylindrical rotor including an inner circumferential magnetic array and an outer circumferential magnetic array spaced apart by an air gap; 
 a second stator including a second circumferential array of coils sized to fit within the air gap of the second cylindrical rotor; and 
 a second plurality of power electronic circuits, each power electronic circuit of the second plurality of power electronic circuits to independently control current to one or more coils of the second circumferential array of coils. 
   
     
     
         9 . A motor comprising:
 a shaft defining an axis;   a stator including:
 a base defining an opening to receive the shaft; 
 a plurality of electromagnetic coils coupled to the base and arranged to form a ring spaced apart from the opening; and 
 power electronics circuitry coupled to the base between the opening and the plurality of electromagnetic coils and spaced apart from the plurality of electromagnetic coils, the power electronics circuitry to control each coil of the plurality of electromagnetic coils independently; and 
   a rotor including an opening to couple to the shaft:
 an inner magnetic array arranged in a first circle; 
 an outer magnetic array arranged in a second circle that is larger than and spaced apart from the first circle defining an air gap sized to receive the plurality of electromagnetic coils. 
   
     
     
         10 . The motor of  claim 9 , further comprising:
 a housing sized to secure the rotor and the stator;   wherein at least one of the rotor, the stator, or the housing includes diamagnetic materials including pyrolytic graphite to assist in structural support, magnetic containment and spreading of localized heating.   
     
     
         11 . The motor of  claim 9 , wherein each coil of the plurality of electromagnetic coils comprises:
 a laminate core including cooling channels defined in the laminate core;   a winding about the laminate core; and   a separator structure to secure the laminate core and the winding.   
     
     
         12 . The motor of  claim 11 , wherein the separator structure further comprises:
 oil cooling inputs and outputs; and   a plurality of channels to allow cooling oil flow around the winding and the laminate core.   
     
     
         13 . The motor of  claim 9 , wherein the power electronics circuitry includes a plurality of power electronic circuits, each power electronic circuit controls one or more coils of the plurality of electromagnetic coils. 
     
     
         14 . The motor of  claim 13 , wherein the power electronic circuit controls each of the one or more coils independently of one another such that each coil has an independent time variant output driven by the power electronic circuit. 
     
     
         15 . The motor of  claim 9 , wherein the stator and the plurality of power electronics circuits are immersed in oil. 
     
     
         16 . A motor comprising:
 a rotor including:
 a housing coupled to a shaft defining an axis of rotation; 
 a first magnetic array arranged to form an inner ring within the housing; 
 a second magnetic array arranged to form an outer ring within the housing and spaced apart from the first magnetic array by an air gap; 
   a stator including:
 a base defining an opening sized to fit over the shaft; 
 a plurality of electromagnetic coils coupled to the base and arranged to form a ring such that the ring fits within the air gap; and 
 a plurality of power electronic circuits coupled to the base, spaced apart from the plurality of electromagnetic coils, and positioned between the plurality of electromagnetic coils and the opening, each of the plurality of power electronic circuits to control one or more of the coils of the plurality of electromagnetic coils. 
   
     
     
         17 . The motor of  claim 16 , wherein the power electronic circuit controls each of the one or more coils independently of one another such that each coil has an independent time variant output driven by the power electronic circuit. 
     
     
         18 . The motor of  claim 16 , wherein at least one of the rotor, the stator, or the housing includes diamagnetic materials including pyrolytic graphite to assist in structural support, magnetic containment and spreading of localized heating. 
     
     
         19 . The motor of  claim 16 , wherein each coil of the plurality of electromagnetic coils comprises:
 a laminate core including cooling channels;   a winding about the laminate core; and   a separator structure to secure the laminate core and the winding.   
     
     
         20 . The motor of  claim 19 , wherein the separator structure further comprises:
 oil cooling inputs and outputs; and   a plurality of channels to allow cooling oil flow around the winding and the laminate core and through the cooling channels.